A Tennessee man has entered a guilty plea on charges of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and attempting to destroy an energy facility in Nashville. Skyler Philippi, 24, from Columbia, made his plea in federal court, recognizing his plan to attack an energy facility with a drone laden with explosives. Acting U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire praised the law enforcement efforts, saying, "Our office is fully committed to thwarting dangerous attacks motivated by hate," according to a Justice Department statement.
Court documents reveal Philippi's communications with a confidential human source in June 2024, where he expressed a desire to commit a mass shooting at a local YMCA. By July, he had escalated his targets to include interstate substations, discussing the potential widespread impact of such attacks. The FBI's Counterterrorism Division Assistant Director Donald Holstead indicated that Philippi’s assassination of a power grid could have deprived not only homes but also critical services like hospitals of their electricity. Holstead added that the priority of the FBI is the protection of our communities from threats to public safety.
The failed plan included Philippi researching previous substation attacks, concluding that firearms would not be sufficient. He opted for a more destructive mechanism—a drone equipped with explosives. Materials considered were TATP and C-4, with the latter being ordered from undercover employees posing as collaborators. He also amassed black powder for pipe bombs intended for use during the intended substation attack.
In a disturbing twist, Philippi was reported to have authored a manifesto outlining his malicious intent against cities and industries he associated with monetary gain for Jewish people, revealed by a Justice Department release. His past affiliations with extremist groups such as Atomwaffen Division and the National Alliance were also disclosed. On the day of his arrest, Philippi engaged in a Nordic ritual with undercover agents, falsely believing they were accomplices, declaring, "this is where the New Age begins."
The apprehension occurred as Philippi was about to attach the explosives to a drone before implementing his plan. The sentencing, set for January 8, 2026, could result in a life sentence and a maximum fine of $250,000. The case, currently under investigation by the FBI's Nashville Field Office, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Kurtzman and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section.
